Morning Ceremony
by Bananafana Liya
Summary: Korra invites Asami to accompany her for a Southern Water Tribe tradition.


Korra wakes up Asami one morning, quietly and gently stroking the side of her hair. Speaking soft words to her, Asami hears her voice and wants to pretend to be sleeping, so that Korra could go on like this, but she eventually gives in and opens her eyes. After yawning and stretching a little, they sit quietly together, Asami lying in bed on her side, Korra sitting on the floor at face level. They speak in a chatty kind of morning silence, the kind where you talk in whispers and huddle close to one another.

Eventually, Korra mentions something about wanting to take her out to see something, and Asami, feeling in good spirits, gets out of bed.

She grabs her coat and yawns. "Where are we going?" she asks, fumbling with the fabric.

Korra, finishes buttoning her coat and looks calmly at the heiress. "You'll see," she says and helps Asami with her coatsleeves.

It's chilly when they step outside. The warmer weather is coming but Asami can still see the breath escape from her mouth. Korra retrieves Naga and they climb on, starting for the road. Asami is too tired to notice that they're heading east.

They stay on the same path for awhile. One section of it sits very close to the edge of the island. The heiress looks down below at the magnificent cliff and hugs Korra closer, who assures her that they're almost there. Eventually Naga slows down to a stop and Asami sits up to look around. Just a head of them is open water and the sun beginning to climb over the horizon. Korra climbs off the polar bear-dog and walks toward the sun. She spreads her hands wide, and bathes in the morning light. Asami watches Korra breathlessly, how she is illuminated by this special kind of sun. When the Avatar finally puts her hands down, she starts to sing. It's quiet at first, a tune that the heiress is unfamiliar with, but it feels warm and Korra's voice is beautiful.

She slowly builds up in volume, singing the same song, and now she's swaying, little by little. A Southern Water Tribe tribute to first light. A blessing for the world and a thanks to the spirits for another day. Korra begins to feel the song and starts moving her feet in a little shuffle, matching the beat of the song. Asami knows that Korra can hear the drums of the song, the heartbeat of the earth. And although she does not have the same traditions as the Avatar, she recognizes prayer when she sees it. The heiress closes her eyes, to feel the heat on her face and hear the sun in the song.

When Korra finishes she stands in silence. Birds are chirping, a breeze blows by, the world begins it's day. She turns back to Asami, now suddenly feeling very aware of the intensity of her trance. Korra has a mixed look of apprehension and pride on her face as she walks back to Naga. Asami knows not to make a big deal out of the ceremony. To treat it as if it was any ordinary thing to do, because while it's not familiar to her, it is far from foreign to Korra.

Korra stops in front of her polar bear-dog and pauses to look up at the woman waiting for her. Asami doesn't waste time when she says, "It's a beautiful morning."

Korra lets an inner sigh of relief go, "Yes. Yes, it is."

Asami smiles and holds a hand out to help Korra get on.

"Wanna go make some breakfast?" the heiress asks.

Korra grabs Asami's hand and hoists her self up. "Yeah, I'm starving."

Asami wraps her hands around Korra's waist, and the Avatar gives her polar bear-dog the command to go.

They ride back to the Air Temple, planning out their adventures for the new day.

* * *

A/N I definitely extended my people's stress on first light to the S. Water Tribe here. I'm not indigenous to the Arctic but I wrote this because out of all the nations in the Avatar world, Southern Water Tribe reminds me most of my own people. And from what I've gotten talking to Natives of other nations, First Light is something that alot of people celebrate. But if anyone indigenous to the Arctic has any problems with what I did here, please let me know.


End file.
